Donshewai Incident | The Egypt's Painful History

 

On June 13, 1906, some British officers went to the village of Denshawai to shoot pigeons for sport. The villagers were angry because the pigeons were their source of food and income, and also because the shooting could cause fire to their crops.

A fight broke out between the officers and the villagers. One officer shot and killed a woman, which enraged the villagers more. Another officer ran away from the scene and died of heatstroke on his way back to the camp. A villager who tried to help him was mistaken for his killer and was also killed by other soldiers.

The British authorities set up a special court to try the villagers for the death of the officer. They accused them of murder and sentenced them to harsh punishments, such as flogging and hanging, which were carried out in public in Denshawai.

The incident caused a lot of outrage and sympathy among Egyptians, who saw it as an example of British injustice and oppression. Many newspapers, writers, and poets expressed their anger and sorrow over the incident. Some nationalist leaders, such as Mustafa Kamil, used it as a rallying point to mobilize Egyptians against British occupation.

The incident also drew criticism from some British people, who questioned the legitimacy and morality of the court and the punishments. Lord Cromer, the British consul general of Egypt, resigned after the incident, but the British occupation continued until 1952.

Lord Cromer was the British consul general of Egypt from 1883 to 1907. He was the de facto ruler of Egypt during the British occupation and implemented many economic and administrative reforms. He was also criticized by many Egyptians for his authoritarian and paternalistic attitude and his disregard for Egyptian culture and aspirations.

After the Denshawai incident, Lord Cromer faced a lot of pressure and criticism from both Egyptians and some British people. He was accused of being responsible for the injustice and brutality that occurred in Denshawai. He also lost the support of the British government, which wanted to adopt a more conciliatory policy towards Egypt. As a result, he resigned from his position on April 1, 1907, and left Egypt shortly after. He was replaced by Sir Eldon Gorst, who tried to improve relations with the Egyptian nationalists12

Lord Cromer later wrote a book called Modern Egypt, in which he defended his policies and actions in Egypt. He also remained active in British politics and public life until his death in 19172